Wolf-Proof Your Life

This starts the season of college acceptances, spring madness, AP exams, graduation rehearsals, and proms. It’s an exciting time – especially for the young. Reviewing financial aid packages, housing options, and courses of study can be a time to impart vital information. The most important lesson is how to be safe in all areas of your life. Whether it’s something as simple as monitoring your online interactions, leaving big muddy boots outside your front door if you live alone, or choosing housing wisely – there are ways to wolf-proof your life.

Wolves, Vampires & Swamps

Wolves, vampires, and quicksand aren’t lurking only in the wilderness. Some predators seek to attack your body, but there is a multitude of mental and emotional vampires that will attack your self-esteem, your values, and beliefs and attempt to suck you under with them into their own miserable messes. It’s every parent’s desire to wolf-proof their children.

Be In The World But Not Of It

Throughout my childhood, Family Radio played around the clock in the kitchen. There were really only two times of day that I actually enjoyed listening to it – at seven in the evening for the dramatized radio show, “Unshackled,” and first thing in the morning for the quiz with “your host while you eat your toast” followed by Dr. Cook who taught an entire sermon in 7-10 minutes without ever preaching at you. He would often say things like, “Don’t be so heavenly-minded that you’re no earthly good!” or “Be in the world but not of it.”

You Can’t Be The Light If You Don’t Protect Your Flame

Dr. Cook’s kindness, down-to-earth nature, and life stories illustrating biblical messages were encouraging and comforting. He taught in a nearby college, and my mother visited him on occasion. He and his secretary were very kind and continued to ask about me in their letters to my mother well into my college years. Living in the world and letting your light shine was a cornerstone of the teachings I learned listening to the radio, sitting at the kitchen table all those years. The most vital element to being a light is knowing what you believe yourself. 

Don’t Hide Your Light 

That’s the struggle, isn’t it? You can’t hide yourself amongst people who are just like you, who think the same, look the same, and act the same, or you will end up hiding your faith within the confines of the church. We are to be God’s ambassadors to the world. You can’t do that if you only hang out with other Christians. You need to live in the world but not lose your own beliefs along the way. The only way to do that is to have an in-depth knowledge of what you believe. It can’t be a second-hand faith, a second-hand relationship with Jesus. It must be one you have developed yourself. It’s the key to staying lit when the wind blows.

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:20